Debt-collection is a highly regulated process, and is frequently communication intensive. Debt collectors may need to communicate with a debtor regarding the debt, which may be time-sensitive. The failure to effect a communication, such as reminding the debtor to make a payment, may result in various undesirable outcomes, such as the debtor defaulting on the debt and/or initiating a judicial process to recover the debt. Complicating the overall process is that many debtors frequently do not like to speak with debt collectors, and will avoid contact. Further complicating the overall process is that debt collectors may be limited in the number of voice telephone call attempts over a time period that can be made to the debtor.
The advent and popularity of new communication technologies, such as short message service (“SMS”) texting is an effective way to communicate to various people. It is reported that younger people are more attuned to communicating via text as opposed to accepting voice telephone calls. Thus, texting can be used for conveying certain information to a debtor. This can include providing information regarding the status of a loan or a credit account to the debtor. However, for third-party debt collectors, i.e., those collecting the debt on behalf of another, using such new technologies can be fraught with risks of violating other regulations, related to disclosure of the debt to a third party.
However, new regulations are being developed which would allow debt collector to initiate a limited-content (“LC”) message with a lower level of risk. The generation of LC SMS text messages could prove highly effective and low cost in aiding a debtor to be reminded and kept up-to-date regarding the status of their account. However, additional complexities may be introduced, and effective use of technology is required in order to fully utilize the potential efficiencies that may be realized with these newer regulations.
Therefore, what is needed is technology to effectively process LC message texts for a contact center, so as to maximize the effective of such communications. Further, when the debtor receives the LC message and does initiate a return call (“callback”) to the debt collection, the debt collector should be aware that the debtor is doing so in response to receiving the LC message text.